Pretty much as in the title…..budget upto $75 but open to spend more for the right lighting.

Thanks

Possibly a bit outside your price range, but 355lmn ought to provide more than enough light:
http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/petzl_nao_reactive_headlamp.html

cree xml headlamp

£18.00 quid

1200 lumen

Loads of this kind of stuff on the web.

Its all about the LED technology and the regular torch manufactures are always 18 months behind the latest LED’s

Admittedly you have to buy some batteries and a charger, but for the wedge, nothing comes close.

If you already own an Exposure Joystick then you can use the Velcro headband they also sell (costs about a tenner) : works really well for night running. TBH 1200 lumen lights are a bit of overkill for running unless you are Usain Bolt 🙂

I have a petzl tikka xp, which is easily powerful enough, what I would like is something similar to clip on a waistband to cast some light from another perspective. Having light from just one source can cause some miscalculations of the terrain, not pleasant when out at night with nothing but strange noises in the undergrowth for company.

i have an alpkit gamma, its very good value, but tbh its not quite poweful enough. but if you buy 2 that might be enough.

i could do with an upgrade tbh so watching with interest, the 1200 lumen job above looks good but is it light weight and can it be delivered to the uk?

LED Lenser H7 is pretty good

More than enough light for running.

i have an alpkit gamma, its very good value, but tbh its not quite poweful enough. but if you buy 2 that might be enough.

Likewise. Did you by one in the last year or so? As there was a slight power bump last year I think. I could defo tell the difference between my 2010 one and the one I bought last year.

I do wish they would release a upgraded one, as the build quality and fit is perfect. A 200-300 lumen one for £30-40 and I would bite Alpkits hands off.

I use an old Silva L2 (4-5yrs old) – absolutely excellent – when it dies I’ll probably buy another Silva. The newer ones are lighter and brighter.

Had the gammas from alpkit so looking to up gradel

Actually I just realised if I let the head strap out to its fullest amount on the tikka, it can go round my waist, I just need to get another of the same.
I can put one round my waist and set it to flood the ground just in front of me, then one on my head set on spot, I think that will work brilliantly. 😀

Ooooh….

I turned up for a night fell run with two hand held torches and was laughed at by my Petzl wearing fellow runners. I said that if the light source is close to your eyes, you lose depth perception because of how the shadows form. They laughed again. Then I ran faster than them because I could see where I was going better…

What about the mtb lights like glowworm………anyone used their mtb lights

i think that the hope adventure 1 should be at the bottom of your list.

definitely ON your list, but at the bottom…

it’s a great light, but unless the back of your head is flat – to provide a nice platform for the battery pack, it’ll wobble around like a ****er.

Had the gammas from alpkit so looking to up gradel

I ran last winter with a Gamma and found it ok (not proper off-road, just unlit paths/tracks). I’ve got a Led Lenser H7R for running this winter (it’s the rechargeable one – but it will take 3x standard AAAs if required). It feels pretty much the same weight as the Gamma but is much brighter and has a better (adjustable) spread. Can’t really comment on fit/comfort as I haven’t been running with it yet but I think it’ll be ok, my only concern is that the pivot bit on head unit feels a bit loose and it doesn’t look like you can tighten it (it doesn’t ‘click’ in place like the Gamma). Can’t comment on battery usage either but as my runs are <1 hour I will be able to run it on full.

Hi
Thanks for mentioning Silva lights.
Our running light (the Silva Trail Runner) has a big surface area where the light sits on the forehead and the battery pack is on the back of the head to make the light more stable.

My tip for running with (any) headtorch is to wear it over a Buff or light hat. It is more comfortable and you don’t have to do the headband up as tightly.

I find the sun works quite well 🙂

IGMC…

Cheers, Rich

I use a hope adveture 1. It is actually pretty comfortable (without needing a flat section on the back of your head). Spare batteries are easy to get hold of too.

Beam is a bit too focused for twisty sections of singletrack but plenty of light. I have used one for a couple of winters and am happy with it.

Best light for running especially fell/trail

😉

Actually I just realised if I let the head strap out to its fullest amount on the tikka, it can go round my waist, I just need to get another of the same.
I can put one round my waist and set it to flood the ground just in front of me, then one on my head set on spot, I think that will work brilliantly

I quite like this idea. I’ve got an inov-8 bumbag that I tend to use a night, might see how easy it is to mount a light on the front of it.

I think I might go for a lightweight handheld torch to supplement my Alpkit gamma. There is about a bazillion on eBay, anyone know which one I should be looking at?

Requirements:

Sub £10
Waterproof (…or enough that a being held in a sweaty hand doesn’t knacker it)
200+ Lumen
Lightweight

Black Diamond Spot (LED) on the noggin and a small halogen light in my hand (mini Maglite or similar). The Spot doesn’t have a bulky battery pack so is stable and offers between 50 and 200 hrs of burn time off 3 AAA batteries.

Why 2 lights? I find a bright LED flattens out the terrain so that rocks, roots etc don’t stand out. The 2nd light offers some perspective and shadow.

EDIT: Just seen Crikey says something similar

Fenix HP11

http://www.focalprice.com/LFH75B/FENIX_HP11_5W_CREE_XPG_R5_7Mode_277LM_LED_Headlamp_Set_Black.html?Currency=GBP#.UGLkvlHF0aE

Takes normal 4xAA. I just use 4000mha rechargeable batteries from Tesco!

I said that if the light source is close to your eyes, you lose depth perception because of how the shadows form.

That only applies to some people apparently. Others are not bothered. We seem to process images in different ways.

Interesting. It would certainly explain the handle bar / headtorch arguments in the past.
Do you have a link to this image processing stuff?

I run home from work twice a week ( all year)…7 miles and via farm tracks/ coastal paths.

Have tried various headtorches..but

Now just run with my Exposure Enduro bike light in my hand.

Loads of light, enough to stun a would be attacker with :^)…well thats what I tell my imagination !

No, it’s just an observation from night riding with other people. Some can’t abide the light on their bars and ride fine with it on their heads. Whenever I’ve tried it on my head I can SEE everything perfectly, but somehow at the same time I can’t see for shit and can hardly ride! The image is robbed of meaning for me, but others cope fine.

Jamie, take a shufti at these:
http://dx.com/p/trustfire-r5-a3-cree-xp-e-r5-3-mode-230-lumen-memory-led-flashlight-1-aa-1-14500-39062?utm_source=dx&utm_medium=edm&utm_campaign=20120912
Absolutely fantastic little flashlight, it needs 14500 batteries, but they’re cheap and use the same charger as 18650 cells. It will use AA batteries, but the 14500 cells are 3.7v and the torch runs much brighter. Tiny torch, but VERY bright. I’ve got three of them, use them on the bike and on my crash hat.

What’s the spread like on that, for riding?

(I’m not well up on these new batteries; any reason you couldn’t use the 18650 cells?)

I have now been doing the two headtorch thing for a few weeks, with the second headtorch round my waist, and it works a treat. Far better perception of what’s happening at foot level.

Just bought one of these and tried it out for the first time to night. Certainly bright enough in overcast woodland. Rather than stick it on my head. I clipped it onto the waist belt of a bum bag. Worked out much better than I expected.
I haven’t tried it head to head with the fennix HP 10, but at 1/7th of the price it appears to be waay better value.

I turned up for a night fell run with two hand held torches and was laughed at by my Petzl wearing fellow runners. I said that if the light source is close to your eyes, you lose depth perception because of how the shadows form. They laughed again. Then I ran faster than them because I could see where I was going better…

+1

I quite often run with a 700 lumen torch in my hand – don’t get the misty effect in front of your eyes that you can get with a headtorch.

Thread resurrection time!

Cougar – Member
What’s the spread like on that, for riding?

(I’m not well up on these new batteries; any reason you couldn’t use the 18650 cells?)
Sorry Cougar, missed your post, did you mean the 14500’s. They are the same size as a AA, but are 3.7v, like the 18650 cells, which is why you can use the same charger. The light has a fairly tight centre spot, but a good spread around it. You wouldn’t use it for fast off-road riding, but it’s great for evening bimbles, or as a small commute light for shortish distances. Works perfectly with the Twofish blocks. I’ve used mine for a five mile ride back from the pub along narrow lanes, and it lights a c-class country lane just perfectly. Would work with a Nite-ize Maglight headband, I would imagine.